Last summer we found the Seattle Pinball Museum in the International District. It is a working collection of vintage pinball machines. The oldest dating back to the 1930’s. The greatest part of this museum??? You can play each and every machine! It was super chill afternoon activity! Although we went in the summer, winter is the perfect time to go with kids. ( Please note: you must be 7 or older to play the games.) I also think it would be a great start to a night out with friends or a cool spot for a corporate event. To add to the fun vibe, they sell vintage sodas, snacks, beer & cider. You pay an admission entry and play for as long as your heart desires!
Just a few extra pictures from our fun afternoon. My little retro-gamer gave it two thumbs up. He, of course, would have loved a few more old school arcade games (they have a few), but he made the best of it.
Some of favorite things in my home have been found in Etsy shops. I am consistently impressed by the creativity and quality of products offered by shop owners. I thought it would be fun to share a few shops that are saved as my favorites.
4 Shops to Love (clockwise, starting with top left image):
1| peastyle | Not a large shop, but her natural Seagrass baskets look versatile and perfectly imperfect.
2| MintThreads owned by Amanda Wade | Authentic vintage threads. Perfect way to find vintage clothing to add to your wardrobe without having to do all the hunting at thrift stores. The vintage T’s are my favorite!
3| TheLightFactory owned by Ashlie Ewen. | Gorgeous light fixtures. Her bubble chandeliers are striking!
4| ThePrintableStudio | Printable wall art. Unique and totally approachable. A great way to add art to your walls with out the heavy price tag. The prints are sold as instant digital downloads. Instant gratification.
Do you have any favorite Etsy shops? Please share!
Happy Friday! Each week I am inspired by articles I read, recipes I find, pictures I see, and music & podcasts that I hear. Little details from each one shape my week. I love passing along this inspiration. I hope you have an amazing weekend.
xo-d
This week’s details:
1 The sweetest charm necklace. It was on my holiday wish list, but it looks like it’s moving over to my Mother’s Day wish list!
2 Lemon bars made with the most interesting ingredient.
In comparison to the previous two or three years, 2017 was a vast improvement. In hindsight, my self-diagnosed Seasonal Affective Disorder was most likely simply depression. The thing I missed most was joy and feeling hopeful. If you are struggling right now, I am sorry you aren’t feeling like yourself. Reach out to your partner, your friends, and your doctor. You will get better. 2017 found me healthy and happy and I know that is a gift. The last year gave me countless moments to find joy with the people I love the most. It seems that the boys grew at warp speed, especially Big W. I’m trying not to hold on too tight.
With great anticipation I look forward to 2018! I am not making any resolutions, because I feel like they are always attached to some sort of guilt. The world doesn’t need more people feeling guilty, especially women. Our world needs happy, fulfilled people loving life and those around them! While I DO NOT make resolutions, I do make lists!
Things I would love in 2018:
find my way back to writing, a “just out of the oven” chocolate chip cookie, support organizations doing good work, a challenging day hike, great meals with dear friends, a summer spent on the water, see a ballet, donate blood, celebrate the greatness in women I know, the perfect cat eye, set aside time each day to practice mindfulness, a happy hour cocktail in paradise, start something that scares the sh*t out of me, moments of laughter with my boys, tears of pride, strong arms and toned tummy.
(The last one has been on the list since 2013. It’s a goal and it’s fine. However, all these amazing experiences can happen in my life-with or without fabulous abs.)
I have linked all the Podcasts here so you could listen to these 4 episodes directly from this post. I listen through the Podcast app on my iPhone. Android users can listen too.
What podcasts do you love? I’m happy to share my favorites if you are interested.
My latest installment of {mom uniform} is for a field trip I am chaperoning this afternoon. Coincidentally it is to the same location, that I created the Rainy Day Field Trip uniform three years ago. Second kid in 5th grade and second time going to see the salmon run. This time…lucky for me…it is supposed to be dry and sunny. It is fall in the PNW, so warmth will still be necessary.
The uniform:
1. A pair of cropped flair jeans. Raw hems are my new favorite because it allows me to “hem” for free. (These come in regular and petite.)
2. Black muscle tee. If you follow me on Instagram, you will notice this is a recent purchase from my trip to Nashville. Officially obsessed with Immogeene + Willie.
3. Ultra Light Down Jacket. I don’t own this jacket (yet), but a friend bought one last year and I compliment her every time she wears it. The collar is perfection and some how makes a down jacket look chic. And PS. It is under $60!
I was going to add shoes, but the white sneaks are kind of perfect! I’m digging the muted fall colors and the comfort of this uniform. It would also work for a fall farmer’s market or a Saturday flag football game. Here’s hoping for many sunny fall days!
Kelly Oxford started this conversation and the hashtag #notokay. This isn’t a political post. This wasn’t my planned post for today, but it literally wrote itself and forced me to push publish.
The event that wrote the post:
On Saturday night my family exited Husky Stadium in the 4th quarter. Riding high from a soon-to-be solid victory, there was much celebrating and the tailgating had picked up again. Although the walk was not far, there were many pedi-cabs at the exit offering rides to fans. They were creatively lit and many had tunes pumping from portable speakers. As we walked through the parking lot, I couldn’t help but notice a pedi-cap with two, middle-aged males being pedaled by a young female. You know the type: belligerent, loud and intoxicated. They directed her to their vehicle. She stopped the cab and stood up on her pedals. One of the men promptly smacked her ass. They both laughed. Immediately aware that my 13 year old son witnessed it all, I looked at him and asked, “Did you see that?” He replied that he had seen it all. The only thing that came to mind-which I quickly blurted out, “It’s never OK.” He looked at me and said, “I know, Mom.”
At first I didn’t know why it pissed me off so intensely. It’s not like it is the first time I had ever seen a woman get slapped on the ass. Heck, it has happened to me countless times-in bars, sporting events, on the street, on a bus. Then it dawned on me that it was probably the first time my son had seen it. We haven’t had an in-depth conversation about it yet, but I can only imagine his brain was working overtime to figure it all out. And after 43 years, I finally saw that aggressive action for EXACTLY what it is: assault. Gone are the days that I ignore it, accept it, simply endure it, or god-forbid even pretend to like it. I should have said something. Not to them, but I should have said something to her. I should have walked over to her cab and stood with her. After they left, I should have said, “I saw what they did. You did nothing wrong. You were doing a job. It is not OK.” Dammit, I should have said something to her.
I am going to stand on a virtual box and shout this truth out loud. Do not touch me without my consent. Do not comment on my legs as I ride my scooter past your construction site. Do not slow your vehicle to shout and whistle at me when I am out for a run. Do not let your hand linger when you give me a hug. It is not flattering. You are not being flirtatious. I am not a willing participant. Do not slap her ass. And do not let my kid see you do it! It is never OK.
While my days of getting the hoots/hollers and grabs are limited and waning (thank you gravity and middle-age), there are younger women who are unlucky enough to fill my spot. Please tell your story. I know you have one. Tell it here. (I’ve added one of my stories to the comments.) Share this this post. Talk to a young woman or a young man. If it was your daughter on that bike, it would never be OK. NEWS FLASH: she is someone’s daughter!
Happy Friday! After a 3 month hiatus from shopping there are a few staples that I would like to add to my closet. I want to buy only one new pair of shoes for fall/winter. After consideration, I’ve decided it should be a new pair of black boots. In Seattle you get a ton of wear out of boots throughout fall and winter -probably more than any other shoe. While in bed last night I was doing a little online, window shopping and found these 4 beauties. All quite similar, but each have a slightly different block heel and the materials differ as well. For fun, I’m throwing it out to you. Which boot do you like best? I purposefully have not included price or designer. {I will update with shopping details later!}
Let me know what you think?
UPDATE:
Thank you to all the readers who responded on Friday! I loved hearing the rationale of your selection. #3 by Acne Studious had the fewest votes which is interesting. Although gorgeous those boots are by far the most expensive and never an actual option. #1 by Vince had a few votes for it’s lasting potential and uniform color with the black heel. #2 by Splendid and #4 by Jeffery Campbell were the darlings-with the Splendid boots getting the most votes. My personal vote is either #2 or #4! I’m going to order both and see which pair wins my heart. I’ll keep you posted!
It seems every time I have a conversation with anyone- I will eventually hear about another new show I MUST WATCH. It’s overwhelming really. I personally don’t have enough free time in a week to watch all these amazing shows. We may be the only couple who has not seen one episode Game of Thrones.
But, I have new guilty pleasure. Younger. “40-year-old Liza (Sutton Foster) passes herself off as 26 to land a job. Now she has to make sure no one discovers her secret.” I am mid-way through season 1 and I’m totally hooked. With 4 seasons, I’ve got plenty of Hulu binge watching ahead of me!
I’m afraid to ask, but what show(s) are you loving?
